Service discovery method and device in wireless LAN system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a service discovery method and device in a wireless LAN system. A service discovery method in a wireless LAN system according to one embodiment of the present invention can comprise: transmitting, by a request device, a service discovery request frame to a response device; and receiving, by the request device, a service discovery response frame, which comprises service information of the response device and service information of each of one or more other devices, from the response device. The one or more other devices can comprise a device which does not belong to the same group as the response device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of performing a service discovery process in a wireless LAN system, the method comprising:
 transmitting, by a requesting device, a service discovery request frame to a group owner device, the service discovery request frame including a service protocol type field with a specific bit that indicates whether a cached service discovery is requested, 
 wherein the requesting device and the group owner device are included in a group of devices established by the requesting device and the group owner device, and 
 wherein the group owner device controls the group and identifies first service information of devices included in the group; and 
 receiving, by the requesting device, a service discovery response frame from the group owner device, the service discovery response frame including the first service information and second service information of the group owner device, 
 wherein the service discovery response frame further includes service information of devices not included in the group when the cached service discovery is requested. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group owner device corresponds to a device selected by a device discovery process performed by the requesting device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group owner device corresponds to a device having capability for caching the service information of each of one or more different devices. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein information indicating the capability of the group owner device is included in at least a beacon frame, a probe response frame, an associated frame or a re-associated frame that are transmitted by the responding device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein information indicating the capability of the group owner device is configured by a bitmap comprising a bit indicating whether the group owner device supports the cached service discovery. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information of each of the devices included in the group and device identification information of one or more different devices. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information and service information supported by each of a plurality of service types if the plurality of service types are supported by both the group owner device and one or more different devices. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service discovery process is performed before the requesting device is connected to a network. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the group corresponds to a Wi-Fi direct group. 
     
     
       10. A method of performing a service discovery process in a wireless LAN system, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a group owner device, a service discovery request frame from a requesting device, the service discovery request frame including a service protocol type field with a specific bit that indicates whether a cached service discovery is requested, 
 wherein the requesting device and the group owner device are included in a group of devices established by the requesting device and the group owner device, and 
 wherein the group owner device controls the group and identifies first service information of devices included in the group; and 
 transmitting, by the group owner device, a service discovery response frame to the group owner device, the service discovery response frame including the first service information and second service information of the group owner device, 
 wherein the service discovery response frame further includes service information of devices not included in the group when the cached service discovery is requested. 
 
     
     
       11. A requesting device performing a service discovery process in a wireless LAN system, the device comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive information; and 
 a processor configured to: 
 control the transceiver to transmit a service discovery request frame to a group owner device, the service discovery request frame including a service protocol type field with a specific bit that indicates whether a cached service discovery is requested, 
 wherein the requesting device and the group owner device are included in a group of devices established by the requesting device and the group owner device, and 
 wherein the group owner device controls the group and identifies first service information of devices included in the group; and 
 control the transceiver to receive a service discovery response frame from the group owner device, the service discovery response frame including the first service information and second service information of the group owner device, 
 wherein the service discovery response frame further includes service information of devices not included in the group when the cached service discovery is requested. 
 
     
     
       12. A group owner device performing a service discovery process in a wireless LAN system, the device comprising:
 a transceiver configured to transmit and receive information; and 
 a processor configured to: 
 control the transceiver to receive a service discovery request frame from a requesting device, the service discovery request frame including a service protocol type field with a specific bit that indicates whether a cached service discovery is requested, 
 wherein the requesting device and the group owner device are included in a group of devices established by the requesting device and the group owner device, and 
 wherein the group owner device controls the group and identifies first service information of devices included in the group; and 
 control the transceiver to transmit a service discovery response frame to the group owner device, the service discovery response frame including the first service information and second service information of the group owner device, 
 wherein the service discovery response frame further includes service information of devices not included in the group when the cached service discovery is requested. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information of each of the devices included in the group and device identification information of one or more different devices. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information and service information supported by each of a plurality of service types if the plurality of service types are supported by both the group owner device and one or more different devices. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information of each of the devices included in the group and device identification information of one or more different devices. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information and service information supported by each of a plurality of service types if the plurality of service types are supported by both the group owner device and one or more different devices. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information of each of the devices included in the group and device identification information of one or more different devices. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the service discovery response frame further includes device identification information and service information supported by each of a plurality of service types if the plurality of service types are supported by both the group owner device and one or more different devices.